Honoring the life and legacy of Charisse McGill, founder of Lokal Artisan Foods, for her enduring dedication to the City of Philadelphia as a businesswoman and organizer.

Honoring the life and legacy of Charisse McGill, founder of Lokal Artisan Foods, for her enduring dedication to the City of Philadelphia as a businesswoman and organizer. WHEREAS, Charisse McGill tragically passed away on January 15, 2024; and WHEREAS, Charisse McGill was formerly the director of special events at Valley Forge Military Academy, before leaving education to open her French Toast Bites food stand at Philadelphia’s Christmas Village. She became well known in the City, notable for her infectious energy and unwavering positivity; and WHEREAS, French Toast Bites’ debut was followed up by appearances at various special, pop-up events and festivals such as the Roots Picnic and Made in America festival; and WHEREAS, Charisse received awards and recognition from the Philadelphia 76ers Buy Black program, United Way of Greater Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey, and the African American Chambers of Commerce of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Additionally, Charisse was an annual participant in Councilmember Thomas’ Black Business Crawl; and WHEREAS, Charisse was appointed executive director of the Farmers Market Coalition, a national nonprofit that advocates for thousands of farmers markets; and WHEREAS, Charisse was also an educator. At different points in her career, she was adjunct faculty at Montgomery County Community College, an instructor in the School District of Philadelphia’s hospitality program, and a lecturer at Rutgers University; and WHEREAS, Charis…